Writing For College Admissions

Most people lose the room before they’ve earned the right to speak. Not because they’re boring. Not because they lack confidence. But because they skip one of the oldest storytelling techniques there is: The hook. And no — hooks aren’t just for storytellers or keynote speakers. They work when you’re: • Opening a presentation • Speaking up in a meeting • Commanding a room • Starting a difficult conversation After studying hundreds of story openings (on stage and in boardrooms), here are seven hooks that consistently work — in order of effectiveness: 1. Name the room “This is for leaders who…” Relevance comes first. When people hear themselves, they feel seen. When they feel seen, they listen. 2. Name the struggle “If you’ve ever felt stuck trying to…” This isn’t persuasion. It’s resonance. 3. Lead with a shocking statistic “Most people decide whether to trust a speaker in the first 30 seconds.” A strong stat creates urgency and authority. It signals: this matters. 4. “Did you know…?” Lead with a surprising fact or insight. Curiosity is a biological reflex — once triggered, people lean in. 5. “What if…?” Invite your listener into a possibility. It turns information into imagination. And imagination beats slides every time. 6. Start in the middle of a story “I was halfway through my Q3 results when our CEO stood up, grabbed his coffee, and walked straight out of the room.” Tension creates pull. People stay to find out what happens next. 7. Share a secret “They don’t tell you this, but…” Insider language creates intrigue — and lands best once trust is earned. Here’s the part most people miss: A good hook isn’t about being clever. It’s about signalling value upfront. Every great hook makes a silent promise: Something meaningful is about to happen for you. That’s true in stories. That’s true in presentations. That’s true when you open your mouth in a meeting. Don’t assume attention is given. In any room, it has to be earned. Which one do you avoid using — even though you know it works?

There are many misconceptions about the idea of a ‘hook’ at the start of a YouTube or social content. 🙋♂️ The hook is often projected/assumed to be something shocking, funny or a gimmick to stop your audience in their tracks and grab attention in the first few seconds. So much so that we see many brands or clients creating content dismissing the idea as they want to 'stay classy.' Rather than a gimmick, the intro or hook in video content is a strategical tool to bring your audience in to your world, and it is possible to do in a quality and effective way. Here are 6 things we’ve learned over the years about developing a ‘hook’ in your creative approach: 👇 1️⃣ Set out your story, premise or challenge: Very simply if you can lay out what your audience are going to see and make them intrigued then it will bring them in - a simple example would be the F1 drone piece we created with Red Bull this year, it was led by a simple visual of Max Verstappen watching a drone go by (out of shot) and ask ‘is that the worlds fastest camera drone? - audience hooked. 2️⃣ Faces are good: Psychologically we all connect with human faces, seeing them early in the content builds a connection with the viewer. 3️⃣ Ensure the opening of the content aligns with the expectations created by the thumbnail and title: These three things should work together to get your audience interested, but also being consistent with each other. People don’t like click-bait, especially when expectations are not met once they click through to watch. 4️⃣ Visually amazing, interesting or surprising: Always works, but best used as a tool to highlight or enhance aspects such as your concept, story or character. 5️⃣ Tease the jeopardy - the cliffhanger: Always a fine line because if you build content around one dramatic moment this will just encourage your audience to skip forward to seek it out to avoid unnecessary pre-amble. However if your story or content has genuine jeopardy and you can capture it succinctly in the start then it’s a powerful tool. 6️⃣ A clearly personal topic: A genuine personal story, question or topic delivered in an authentic way will always intrigue a viewer. If it’s genuinely meaningful to the protagonist, it’s more likely to become meaningful for the viewer. These are by no means exclusive, and more often than not our best results have come from a combination of the above. Never underestimate the difference an effective intro/hook will make to your results though, a small change can a have a huge impact on your audience retention and therefore the organic reach. 🙌 What did I miss? #creativeagency #sportscontent #contentstrategy

Quit stuffing your feed with “5 quick hacks.” Tell me a story instead. Last month I posted a short yarn about sprinting through Mumbai rain to pitch a client, soaking wet, heartbeat louder than my slides. An editor from a global magazine DM’d me within the hour: “Loved the cinematic rush - can you write that feeling for our readers?” We’re now working on a column together. Zero outreach. One story. That’s the power you’re leaving on the table every time you swap narrative for bullet-point advice. Here’s what happens when you start treating LinkedIn like a bookshelf, not a billboard: • You magnetise attention • You earn memory real estate (people remember scenes, not stats) • You spark inboxes - DMs turn into coffees, coffees turn into contracts • You signal depth; anyone can google tips, only you own your plot Want to give your feed a plot twist? Try this framework next time you hit “post”:  1. Open on a moment, not a message. Drop the reader right into the rain, the silence before the pitch, the missed flight - whatever your inciting incident is.  2. Raise the tension. What was at stake for you? Make me sweat with you.  3. Deliver the change. Show the lesson, the surprise, the win or even the flop. Both work if they’re honest.  4. Invite the reader in. Ask, “When did you last feel that rush?” Now it’s our story, not just yours. Repeat weekly. You’ll craft a mini-series your network waits for like Friday night TV. Remember: Consistency matters, but only if you consistently make me feel something. Stories do that. Metrics alone don’t. So - next post you write, ditch the spreadsheet screenshot. Start with the scene that made your heart race. Let me run beside you. PS. If you drop the first line of your next LinkedIn story in the comments, I’ll riff on a closing hook for you. Let’s turn your feed into a page-turner.

Your Impact Report is Probably Boring (And It's Costing You Donors) One approach puts donors to sleep. The other opens wallets. Which are you choosing? Effective storytelling in impact reports is key. Here's how to do it: Start with a Hook: Before: "We provided 10,000 meals last year." After: "Maria turned our food bank into a stepping stone for her family's future.” Use the "Before and After" Technique: Before: "Our job training program had a 75% success rate." After: "John went from homeless to homeowner in 18 months. Here's how our program made it possible..." Incorporate Sensory Details: Before: "We built a new playground." After: "Where there was once an empty lot, kids now laugh and play. The bright red slides and yellow swings have brought new life to the neighborhood. Parents chat on nearby benches, watching their children make new friends and create lasting memories.” Showcase Donor Impact: Before: "Your donations helped us achieve our goals." After: "Because of supporters like you, Sarah received the life-saving surgery she needed. Here's a letter from her family..." Use Data Visualization: Before: "We increased literacy rates by 40%." After: [Include an infographic showing a child's journey from struggling reader to honor roll student, with key stats along the way] End with a Clear Call-to-Action: Before: "Please consider donating." After: "For just $50, you can provide a month of tutoring for a child like Tommy." How to implement this: ☑️Identify your most compelling success stories ☑️ Gather quotes and personal anecdotes from beneficiaries ☑️Collect before-and-after photos or data points ☑️ Craft your narratives using the techniques above ☑️ Test different versions with a small group of donors ☑️ Refine based on feedback and roll out your new, story-driven impact report

Whenever a founder’s LinkedIn post flops, I can trace it back to one cause: the hook. The good news is, hooks are a formula. Here are 6 ways to write better LinkedIn hooks (without relying on cringe templates that make you want to delete your profile to preserve your honor): Quick credibility blurb: I’ve spent the past 7 years writing on LinkedIn, and have helped over 50 B2B founders launch their presence on the platform. Probably written or edited over 10,000 posts. Concerning. (1) Negativity bias. Human brains are wired to focus on the negative (like it or not). You can fight against this, or you can tastefully use it to your advantage. Try framing your next post around something your customer wants to get away from. Notice how I got you with this in the post you're reading…you don’t want your next hook to flop, do you? (2) Specific numbers. Ideally, monetary figures. This is why sharing revenue numbers works so well, and why green-screen-talking-head short form creators often write hooks like “[Popular Brand]’s $75M Marketing Playbook.” Don’t hate the player…just do it tastefully. (3) Narrative. Stop with the stale, sterile “how-to hooks.” Package the same idea as a story. Stories are the preferred way for humans to consume information. Use this in your hooks. (4) Credibility-jacking. Use popular names and figures in your hooks. You’re essentially “borrowing” credibility from the subject. Funny story about this one. Last week, another ghostwriting agency CEO did one of these hooks using one of OUR clients. The audacity! To his credit, it went viral. (5) Lists. David Ogilvy is one of the greatest advertising minds in history; he’s also a great writer. And in his work, you’ll find a ton of lists. Lists are such an easy way to package information. They also create an information gap. If I say I’m giving you 6 ways to avoid bad hooks, you need to read the rest of the post to learn all 6. (6) Visuals. This one’s sneaky. The hook isn’t just what appears before the “See More” line. You can also use your media as a hook. You should. Right now, I’m finding that IRL photos perform better than overly branded graphics. Don’t force media when you don’t have to (I didn’t here), but when you do, treat it like MrBeast treats his thumbnails. Can you make me a promise? Next time you write a post, before you press publish, run your hook through this checklist. If you don’t see at least 2-3 of the above levers in the copy…you should rework it. Hope this helps. Follow along for more ways to improve your founder-led LinkedIn content.

We were all taught that writing is about storytelling. But somewhere along the way we forgot what stories start with. For years we’ve been told: → Write more, not sharper → Add details, not direction → Focus on length, not clarity → Start anywhere, not intentionally And for a long time, I believed that too. That great writing was about flow, depth, creativity. But when I started working with brands whose content actually held attention, I noticed something different. They weren’t obsessed with long posts. They were obsessed with powerful openings. Their first 20 words didn’t just introduce the idea they dictated whether the reader stayed or scrolled. I once worked with a creator whose posts consistently outperformed accounts twice their size. They didn’t do it with clickbait or trends. They did it with precision, simplicity, and intention. Every hook they wrote solved a real problem. Every opening sentence created instant curiosity. And over time, the audience started to trust them. Because writing in 2025 isn’t about who writes the most it’s about who earns attention fastest. AI is shifting behavior. Readers scan more, decide faster, commit slower. Your first line isn’t just a sentence anymore It’s a filter. It decides whether your message gets read or disappears into the feed. So next time you write: Craft an opening that makes people feel something. Lead with clarity before creativity. Write hooks that pull, not push. And when people start reading your posts till the end, remember it didn’t happen by luck. It happened because you respected the first 20 words. That’s the real game now. Because in 2025, writing isn’t about starting strong. It’s about staying chosen. Found this helpful? Share it with the writer who still underestimates their first sentence.

I used to think the whole point of a hook was to be interesting. Say something weird. Start with something unexpected. Create a pattern interrupt. That was the playbook everyone taught. So we'd write hooks like "you'll never believe what happened when I tried this." Pure intrigue. Pure curiosity bait. And honestly? Some of them worked. But most of them didn't. And I couldn't figure out why. Then I started breaking down our top performers element by element. Not just what they said, but why they made people stay. Here's what I realized. The hooks that consistently won weren't just intriguing. They had layers. The best ones stacked four things together. Something newsworthy — it felt current, like it just happened or was just discovered. Self-interest — the viewer immediately felt like this was about them and their life. A quick and easy promise — the sense that whatever's coming is simple and achievable. And intrigue — a gap that made them need to keep watching. The epiphany was that intrigue on its own is just confusion with better packaging. "You won't believe this" — okay, but why should I care? Now compare that to "I'm 52 and here are three ways mushrooms helped me get my energy back." That hook has self-interest for the target audience, it's newsworthy because of the unexpected ingredient, there's a quick-and-easy promise built into "three ways," and there's intrigue because you want to know how mushrooms connect to energy. Four layers. One sentence. That's why it stops the scroll. Every hook you write should hit at least two of these. The ones that hit all four are the ones that scale.

Picture this: You're at a pharmaceutical conference, surrounded by a sea of suits and name badges. Someone asks, "So, what do you do?" Do you launch into a robotic recitation of your job title and responsibilities? Yawn. Or do you have them hanging on your every word with a compelling story? Let me tell you about my friend. Let's call her Dr. Samantha, a Clinical Development Medical Director. She used to introduce herself as “Clinical Development Medical Director at BigPharma Inc.” Impressive, sure, but about as memorable as the side effects list in a drug commercial. Then, she had an epiphany. The next time someone asked, she said, “I’m the person who shepherds potential life-saving drugs from ‘eureka’ moments in the lab to the bedsides of patients who've run out of options.” Boom. Instant intrigue. Here’s the thing: Your career isn’t a list of trials you’ve overseen. It’s an epic saga of scientific detective work, complete with plot twists, character development, and, hopefully, a dash of humor (because let’s face it, some of those adverse events reports can get pretty bizarre). Crafting Your Clinical Development Narrative Find Your Hero’s Journey: Every good story needs a hero (that’s you) overcoming obstacles. What seemingly insurmountable challenges have you faced in drug development? How did you innovate to turn the tide? Highlight the Plot Twists: Unexpected trial results aren’t setbacks; they’re exciting new chapters. Frame them as opportunities for groundbreaking discoveries. Because let's face it, the real magic often happens when things don’t go according to plan. Show, Don’t Just Tell: Instead of saying you’re “patient-focused,” tell the story of how you redesigned a trial protocol to reduce patient burden while improving data quality. Let the impact speak for itself. Know Your Audience: Tailor your story to resonate with who’s listening. The version you tell to regulatory bodies might differ from the one you share with study investigators, or your R&D team. Make sure it aligns with their goals and needs. Practice, Practice, Practice: Your career story should roll off your tongue more smoothly than the mechanism of action of your lead compound. Be ready to share it with anyone, at any time. Because a great story can open more doors than a polished resume ever will. Remember, in the world of clinical development, everyone has a CV listing their trials and publications. But not everyone has a story that makes people lean in and say, “Tell me more about how you're changing the future of medicine.” So, next time you’re updating your professional profile or prepping for a presentation, ask yourself: Am I writing a resume, or am I telling the story of how we’re pushing the boundaries of medical science? Because in the end, people may forget your title, but they'll remember your tale of turning scientific possibilities into patient realities. Now go out and write your next chapter.

You have 1.7 seconds to capture attention on LinkedIn. No matter how valuable your content is - if your hook doesn’t grab attention, you're invisible. After helping 20+ SaaS CEOs grow their presence on LinkedIn, here’s what I've found makes an exceptional hook: 1. Establish authority quickly – Clearly state why you’re credible in the first two lines. Avoid generic tips without context. Readers need to know why they should trust you. 2. Tell a compelling story – Humans are wired for stories. Frame your hook around a specific, relatable narrative. Here's how this looks in practice: ❌ "Here’s 3 tips for getting clients from LinkedIn" (Generic, untrustworthy, and boring) ✅ "Last week I sat down with a SaaS founder doing $1M ARR who was struggling on LinkedIn. Here’s how we grew her reach by 225% in just 7 days (with one simple change):" (Authority + Story + Intrigue) David Ogilvy famously said: “On average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar.” Your hook is your headline. Nail the hook, and you're already 80% there. P.S. Next time, try framing your hook as a story from a recent customer conversation or a pivotal career experience.

I’ll admit it—I’m as guilty as anyone of forgetting to use a hook, let alone perfecting it! But if there’s one thing my own research has shown, it’s that without those strong hooks, even the best posts can fall flat. On social media, if you don’t capture attention within the first few words, your message might be lost. That’s where a powerful hook comes in. Here’s how to craft hooks that make people stop, think, and engage: 1. Ask a Bold Question Start with a question that taps into your audience’s challenges or curiosity. “Are you tired of creating content no one reads?” “Ever wonder why some brands make you feel something?” 💡 Why It Works: Questions create instant engagement by inviting readers to pause and reflect. They want to know if you have the answer. 2. Share a Surprising Stat or Fact Lead with a jaw-dropping fact to grab attention: “90% of people never get past the first sentence of a post. Let’s change that.” “Only 2% of companies leverage storytelling in their marketing—are you one of them?” 💡 Why It Works: A surprising stat makes readers curious, creating a “wait, really?” moment that compels them to keep reading. 3. Create Curiosity with a Cliffhanger Leave a gap that urges them to read more: “I made this one mistake in my career, and it cost me… a LOT.” “Want to know the one thing I wish I’d known before launching my business?” 💡 Why It Works: Cliffhangers activate our need for closure, keeping readers glued to your post. 4. Use “If You’re…” Statements to Target Your Audience Directly call out your audience with phrases like: “If you’re an entrepreneur struggling to scale, read this.” “If you’re tired of networking that leads nowhere…” 💡 Why It Works: This immediately speaks to those who relate, drawing in the right readers for your message. 5. Add a Twist on Common Advice Challenge the typical approach to spark curiosity: “Forget everything you know about personal branding. Here’s what works.” “Stop doing this one thing if you want to boost engagement.” 💡 Why It Works: Contrarian advice stands out, making readers stop to see why your perspective is different. 6. Use Relatable Statements Start with something that makes people say, “That’s me!” “Working late again? You’re not alone.” “Ever feel like you’re talking to a wall when you post?” 💡 Why It Works: It creates instant connection by validating shared experiences. I’m keeping these in mind because, as I’ve learned, a strong hook is your best chance at grabbing attention and inviting readers into your world. What’s your go-to hook strategy? Share it below! 👇 #SocialMediaStrategy #LinkedInTips #ContentCreation #MarketingEssentials #StopTheScroll #SmallBusiness #MarketingTips #Entrepreneur